Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Golden Hahnii’ – Golden Bird’s Nest Snake Plant

Snake Plants are excellent easy houseplants. Flexible with light level, low on water needs and generally not fussy, choose this plant as a gift for a plant novice or to start your own houseplant journey. This cultivar has horizontal, zebra-like deep green and silver stripes with flashes of golden variegation around the leaf edges, so it's a perfect easy way to bring in a bit of colour to your home. Each leaf grows straight upwards from the ground, and the plant will keep adding more leaves until it's filled the pot, so if you want dense greenery that needs little maintenance, the Snake Plant is an excellent go-to.

Scientific Name
Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Golden Hahnii’ (triple-banded San Severo plant, cultivar: golden Hahn's)

Synonyms: Dracaena trifasciata (accepted scientific name)

This plant has changed genus; it's now part of the Dracaena Genus, and its scientific name is Dracaena trifasciata

Common Name(s)
Variegated Snake Plant, Bird's Nest Snake Plant, Golden Bird's Nest, Mother-in-Law's Tongue, Devil's Tongue, Snake Tongue, St. George's Sword

Origin
Native to Central and West Africa, this plant grows naturally in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Gabon, Tanzania and the DRC.

Light
Snake plants are hugely flexible with lighting, as the positioning of their leaves allows them to maximise any light. While they can survive even in the dimmest of rooms, they will thrive best in bright, indirect light. You can even place them in direct sun as long as you let them build a tolerance gradually!

Water
Allow the soil to totally dry out between waters. Be especially careful if your Snake Plant is in a darker spot as it will need much less frequent watering there than on a sunny windowsill. Perfect if you're forgetful with watering!

Humidity
Low humidity is ideal for Snake Plants, though an occasional hose down to keep the leaves dust-free will be appreciated. Just make sure they thoroughly dry out afterwards!

Soil
Use a well-draining soil; a blend for cacti and succulents (with sand and grit) would work well here. For an extra boost you can mix in bark as well which the plant will appreciate! Repot every three years in Spring as the plant grows. It doesn't mind being pot-bound for a while but will put out more new growth when it has more space!

Food
Feed every two months using a diluted fertiliser; one designed for cacti or just for houseplants generally will work fine. Make sure to water first to avoid burning the plant's roots.

Temperature
Temperatures of about 12-32°C are great; make sure it doesn't drop below 10°C in winter.

Pet-safe
No, this plant is toxic to pets and small humans.

Sprouts Top Tips
Snake Plants are great at growing in a variety of light levels, but make sure you tailor both your expectations and your watering schedule to the light level. You will need to water more in a bright location, and the plant will probably grow better too; in a dimmer location, water less and expect slower growth! In lower light you may also see less variegation, especially on newer growth, so if you want to keep all that lovely colour it may need moving to a slightly brighter spot.

Did You Know?
Snake Plants are often celebrated as a good luck symbol, and are believed to be good for Feng Shui, warding off negative energy and improving harmony.